June 2019 Writing Challenge: Puchi Puri Yucie
by Veritas Found
Summary: Four ficlets written for a writing challenge, in which: Yucie senses change a'coming; Yucie is mistaken for a servant (and Ver breaks her no-smut rule for the sake of a dick joke); Magazarent's friends are Still There; and Arc hates Cube (and vice-versa).
1. 01 June 2019

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Note:** These were written in a notebook as a writing challenge for June 2019. The goal was thirty days, thirty prompts, thirty minutes (which is why some might seem abrupt: time limit). I'd hit a bit of a dry patch and just wanted to write. These are unedited and mostly just fluff pieces, but I really enjoyed some of them and hey: what's the point of fic if you don't share, right? Even if it's goofball trash.

**01 June 2019**

_**Prompt: **__Cusp_

_**Fandom: **__Puchi Puri Yucie_

_**Character/Pairing:**__ Arc/Yucie_

_**Rating:**__ K / G / All Ages_

She remembers, once when she was very little, her papa taking her out to the field behind their house. He stood there, feet braced and his hands on his hips, and took a deep, steadying breath.

"A storm's coming," he'd said, and he'd said it with such unyielding certainty that she hadn't for a moment questioned it. A storm was coming, even if the sky was a beautiful cloudless blue and the sun shone bright. Papa said a storm was coming, so a storm _must_ be coming – even if she couldn't see it. Papa said, and so – in her young mind – it _must_ be true.

She feels a bit like that now.

Not the certainty. Heavens no. Not even the blind faith that something must happen simply because someone says it must. If she's honest she hasn't felt that way in quite some time, ever since she stood before a parasitic dragon with her friends and prayed they could save the Fairy World. Sure, she had faith – hope – it would all work out, but she had lacked the certainty on _how_ it would. She's felt like that a lot as of late, so maybe she does still have the blind faith part down.

No, what she's feeling is far more foreboding. Her papa had stood there and declared a storm was coming. He had known, somehow, that change was in the air. Maybe he had felt the difference in the air. That pregnant pressure right before the sky splits open. Maybe he'd seen it in the breeze, the way it turned the leaves to their silver, rain-promising undersides. Maybe he'd sniffed it in the air, the damp and the chill just off the wind.

Because there's always signs, in the end. Even when you're little and can't recognize them.

She recognizes them now.

It's in the way he won't exactly meet her gaze. The subtle shifting, fidgeting as he reaches for an apple, hoping the slicing will busy his hands. The distracted hum when she asks him a question, showing he's only half-listening to what she has said. The scurrying dance of his eyes, looking away again before they can rest too long on any given feature.

Yes, she sighs mentally, placing metaphorical hands on metaphorical hips, a storm's coming, and she wonders what will tip it off this time.

He's been distant as of late. Moody. And she wonders when the lightning will strike, allowing the storm to blow through.

Change is coming, she thinks. Her life's been doing an awful lot of changing lately. They're rather old friends by now.

"All right," she finally says, nudging his shoulder with her own, "out with it. The suspense is killing me. What's got you so preoccupied today?"

"That obvious, huh?" he asks with a sheepish grin, looking up from his apple. At least he looks sufficiently abashed, and that mollifies her – slightly.

"I just told you Gurenda threatened to chop all my hair off and you didn't even blink," she laughs. "So yeah, obvious."

"One, never – I love your hair," he says, looking horrified at the very idea. He leans forward to kiss her quickly, a silent apology for his earlier distraction. "And two…I was just wondering…Yucie, what do you say you finally take this off my hands?"

"What…?" she asks, but she looks down to see a ruby-studded ring being held up to her, and the rest of the thought is swallowed in a gasp.

In her mind, she can hear the steady patter of rain.


	2. 03 June 2019

**03 June 2019**

_**Prompt: **__Summer's Bounty_

_**Fandom: **__Puchi Puri Yucie_

_**Character/Pairing:**__ Arc/Yucie_

_**Rating:**__ M/Adult/Explicit_

_**Notes:**__ A-hem…YOU READ THAT TAG RIGHT. BROKE MY NO SMUT RULE FOR A DICK JOKE. (So it _barely_ counts, but it's definitely the most explicit thing I've ever written. However, given as it's more M than E territory, I feel it's still safe for the Pit. It's no worse than you'd see in an R movie, anyway – but I'm getting ahead of myself here.)_

Yucie tipped her head back, eyes closed as she took a deep breath of summer air. She reached up to brush the sweat from her brow, leaving a smear of dirt in its place, and took a moment to enjoy the warm sun. It had been a beautiful day so far – nearly perfect – and it was barely noon.

After another moment, she took a look around the garden and smiled.

She had stumbled upon it by accident a few months back, and it was quickly becoming her favorite place in the palace. The vegetable garden was hidden amidst the flower gardens, and the head chef had later told her it was his private patch. He was an amateur botanist, he had explained, and dishes always tasted better when you put that extra bit of care in. She had readily agreed, telling him his tomato sauce was even better than her papa's (though she would never admit that to Gunberd, of course). He had given her leave of the garden – whenever she wished to use it, she could – and she had eagerly taken him up on the offer. She had even started her own little corner of herbs, the star being the rosemary she had brought from her childhood home. (He had been especially impressed with her rosemary sourdough – Arc's favorite – and had pilfered the recipe for his own collection.)

It was a little piece of normalcy in the chaos her life had become. A touch of home in a palace she still got lost in at times. It was nice to hide there after a long day of classes and "Queen Lessons", as her future mother-in-law liked to call them.

She looked back to her basket and smiled.

Beautiful heirloom tomatoes in red and gold, the pride of Chef's crop that year. Basil and rosemary from her herb patch, and a zucchini almost as big as her forearm. It would make a wonderful bread to take to her papa the next day (and then some), but right then she was more preoccupied with the tart she was planning on making Arc. They'd both been so busy as of late, and she was planning on kidnapping him for lunch.

They deserved a break, and what better break than one spent together?

An excited giggle escaped her as she stood and dusted off her knees. She couldn't wait to see the look his face when –

"Pssssssst!"

She looked up, startled, to see a maid half-hidden by a shrub waving frantically at her. When she pointed to herself and the maid nodded with a furious little jerk of her head, Yucie picked up her basket and walked over to her.

"Yes?" she asked. The maid looked ready to scream.

"What. Do. You. Think. You. Are. Doing?!" she hissed, and Yucie blinked in surprise.

"S-sorry?" she asked, but the maid just gestured to her and bit out a strangled cry.

"This is Chef's _personal garden_, and just look at you!" she said, her voice so high it was almost a squeak. "Where is your uniform?! Gods above, you're filthy! What if the Queen saw you? Or the _Prince?!_"

"Oh, I'm sure he'd have plenty to say," Yucie said with a laugh. With how amorous he'd been lately, she imagined he'd especially have some choice comments on the maid's assessment of her being _filthy_, the letch. "Look, I think you have me –"

"Follow me," the maid huffed, cutting her off without a thought to what she'd been saying. She grabbed her wrist and began dragging her inside. "The cheek! You best be more careful if you expect to last here. Where are you supposed to be, anyway? If Chef sent you to collect those tomatoes I suppose you won't get in as much trouble, but even being new I can't imagine they'd let you traipse about the palace without a uniform. What if her Majesty had seen you? You look no better than a commoner – or worse, with the dirt!"

Yucie glanced down at her tunic and slacks, frowning. She didn't think they looked bad, and Arc had never complained. And maybe she was a little dirty, but she _had_ been gardening!

"And the trousers! I mean I love them, but if Madame Carlotta sees you – hide!" the maid hissed, shoving her behind a corner. She squeaked as she hit the wall, nearly losing her grip on her basket. She glanced down the hall and froze, wide eyes locking with the equally surprised stares of Arc and Frederik. She raised a hand to wave, and Arc grinned as he waved back. He tapped his forehead, and she stuck her tongue out at him at the reminder of the dirt on her face.

"What are you doing?" he whispered as they walked up to her.

"Hiding, I think," she said with a grin. "I was trying to surprise you, but –"

"Of course, ma'am!" they heard the maid laugh nervously, loudly. "I was just bringing her to the kitchens! Poor thing – I think she got lost. You understand how it is when you're new –"

"Oh, honestly!" Yucie cried, making Arc's grin grow. He shared a look with Frederik, who was trying – and failing – to keep a straight face. Yucie moved around the corner to find an older woman – Gwen, she thought – talking to the maid. Gwen's eyes widened before she dropped into a curtsy.

"Your Highness!" she cried, and the other maid blinked in confusion before turning towards Yucie. She promptly gasped and dropped into her own curtsy. Yucie rolled her eyes and was about to tell them both how unnecessary this all was when the maid shot her a look and hissed at her to _show some respect_. She heard a familiar chuckle behind her and turned to find Arc and Frederik had followed her around the corner. He smirked at her, an eyebrow raised expectantly, and she rolled her eyes again.

"Oh, please!" she cried. "Like I'd bow for _him!_ In his dreams, maybe!"

"I could get used to it," he quipped. A furious blush colored her face at his words.

"I-I'm so sorry, your Highness! She's new, and –" the maid stuttered, and Arc chuckled as he stepped up to Yucie and pulled her close.

"Oh, not _that_ new," he said. He bent to kiss her, drawing a startled squeak from the maid. "Though I must admit I'm terribly intrigued by this idea of you bowing."

"Highness," Frederik sighed wearily at the same time Yucie let out an angry "Arc!" He quickly silenced her with another kiss, one she ended abruptly when he reached down to grope her. He tossed a wink at the speechless maid as Yucie slapped his chest.

"You are_ impossible!_" she cried. She turned to the maid and smiled apologetically. (She was at least relieved to see Gwen, like Frederik, was all too used to her royals' antics and was fighting a smile.) "Miss, I'm so sorry about all this, but as I was trying to tell you earlier, I'm not the new hire. My name's Yucie."

She held her hand out to the girl, who had suddenly turned a sickly shade of green.

"I'm the Platina Princess," she added. The maid _actually_ squeaked.

"My fiancée," Arc continued with a grin, wrapping an arm around her waist.

Her eyes flicked frantically from Yucie to Arc to Frederik (who nodded in confirmation) to Gwen (who smiled kindly and patted her shoulder with a "there, there") and back to Yucie before she promptly (with a final squeak) fainted.

– V –

Much later – after they had ensured the maid was all right, Yucie had showered, and the royal couple had enjoyed a delicious indoor picnic (indoor thanks to the surprise storm that had popped up) – Arc was reminded of the maid's idea of Yucie bowing to him. He sat in the chair by his desk, head tipped back and legs spread to accommodate Yucie, who knelt between them. His fingers carded through her hair and a shuddering moan escaped him as she took him deeper in her mouth.

"You know," he said, voice breathy. He opened his eyes and grinned down at her, fully aware he was probably about to ruin one of his favorite views. He scratched his fingers against her scalp, distracting her from the suspicion he could see growing in her eyes. "For someone who said they'd only bow for me in my dreams, this is coming pretty close."

She stopped the gentle bobbing of her head, her eyes narrowing in a dangerous glare. He hissed as she released him, nipping his tip with her teeth for good measure. He gave her a knowing grin and tried to guide her mouth back to where he wanted it, but she only sniffed and held her ground.

"Oh, this isn't bowing," she said primly. He raised a brow as she stroked him, his lips twisting in amusement when she placed a kiss against his thigh. "I'd say it's more…_bending the knee._"

His laugh was cut off by a strangled moan as she moved forward, once again wrapping her lips around him.

Gods, but he loved her…


	3. 08 June 2019

**08 June 2019**

_**Prompt: **__Soul Full_

_**Fandom: **__Puchi Puri Yucie_

_**Character/Pairing:**__ Magazerent_

_**Rating:**__ K / G / All Ages_

She'd missed them.

Oh, how she'd _missed_ them!

The past one thousand years had been so lonely, but now here they were. Here they all were, just where they'd been all along. Oh, if only she'd known!

They float around her, and their presence is a balm to her aching soul. She'd been so foolish, so cruel, and for what? None of it seemed to matter now, even when all of it seemed to matter. The Magical World was still dying, but the other worlds would be safe. The Eternal Tiara was once again scattered. The new Platina Princess had saved her prince _and_ the other Princess Candidates, just as she said she would. She had even restored her own friends, the five Candidates from a thousand years ago, to her.

She truly was something special, that Yucie.

Perhaps, in a thousand years' time, when it came time for Yucie to don the robe of the Great Magician and try the next Platina Princess, she would do it right.

She could do it better.

She smiled as a phantom hand brushed against her face, brushing away a tear. Tears. Oh, gods, but she was _crying!_ She couldn't stop!

"I'm so sorry, everyone!" she laughed, reaching up to rub at her eyes. "I'm just so, so happy!"

The touch felt more like an embrace that time.

She remembered Marigold and her hugs. _Humans_, she thought. Always so extraordinary. Marigold had had the biggest heart out of all of them. She had loved the hardest, and she'd died first. They had been trapped, and she'd sacrificed herself to give them time to run from the Rot.

That's what they'd called it, back then. Not _Diabolos_. Just the Rot. The parasite hadn't manifested a physical form when it had attached itself to the Magical World. It had simply destroyed, growing like a stain, spreading its disease until there was nothing left of her home to save. They had all fought, and they had all fallen, until she stopped it. Until she had claimed the Tiara and made her wish, but by then it was too late.

Marigold.

Sarane.

Esmeralda.

Bridgetta.

Caliope.

Her friends, all gone. Except…they weren't. Not really.

They'd been there with her all along, but she had been too blind to see. Too consumed with her grief.

"I'm sorry!" she cried again. The words barely came out amidst the sobs, but they had to be said. And again. And again. A wail ripped through her as she rocked forward. Her breath came in great, heaving gasps. "Oh, gods! I'm so sorry!"

But she felt the embrace again, stronger than ever. Not just Marigold, but all of them. Her dear, dear friends reaching out in the only way they could. They cloaked her like a blanket, and she absorbed their warmth, their love, like a dying man.

It would all be ok.

They loved her.

They forgave her.

They were there.


	4. 14 June 2019

**14 June 2019**

_**Prompt: **__A List_

_**Fandom: **__Puchi Puri Yucie_

_**Character/Pairing:**__ Arc, Cube_

_**Rating:**__ K / G / All Ages_

_**Notes:**__ This is the vignette equivalent of a shitpost, I think. I don't even know. I was struggling with this one, latched onto an idea, and it…I don't even know what it did. What is this mess._

Arc was starting to believe he had the worst timing in all the worlds.

"I'm sorry, Sir…I mean Prince Ar…I mean…" Cube stammered. He rolled his eyes. _This_ was why he didn't go advertising the fact that he was royalty. "That is, Lady Yucie isn't here."

"Ok," he said with a (rather patient, he thought) sigh. "Any idea when she'll be back?"

"Well, she was meeting Kokoru and Beth for lunch," Cube said, and Arc had to fight to not roll his eyes again. Oh, sure, _them_ the steward didn't trip over formalities with… "And Kokoru had mentioned something about a show, so it could be quite some time…"

"Great," Arc sighed. Less patiently, this time. "I suppose this is what I get for trying to surprise her."

"It might not be all that long," Cube tried. Unhelpfully. "If you'd like to wait for her –"

"The last time you suggested _waiting for her_ you roped me into giving Lord Drago a back scrub," Arc said. He thought it an accomplishment he only sounded a little bitter.

"I honestly had thought Lady Yucie had said she'd be visiting Lord Drago after completing her task in the Spirit World," Cube mumbled. Arc narrowed his eyes.

"_After_ which we ended up battling a demonic parasite in the Fairy World," he continued. "I almost died."

"You act like I planned it all along," Cube grumbled. Arc's eyebrow disappeared beneath his bangs.

"Did you?" he asked. Maybe he didn't have bad timing. Maybe Cube just didn't like him.

"What?! No!" Cube cried. "Diabolos had attached itself to the Fairy World long before I met you. How could I even…?!"

"It just seems waiting around with you would be contrary to my health," Arc pointed out. "I'd like to live long enough to actually marry Yucie, if that's all right with you."

"Of course it's all right with me – Lady Yucie loves you!" Cube said. "I wasn't even going to ask for your help with anything! I mean Sir Gunberd's out of town, and I do have this list of tasks to complete for the day, so it might get boring here while you wait, but –"

"A-ha!" Arc cried victoriously, jabbing a finger at the steward. "I knew it – you _are_ trying to shirk your chores off on me again!"

"What?! No! Prince Aero, I was honestly on my way out when you got here! I'm not psychic – I can't plan these things!" Cube groaned. Arc remained unconvinced.

"No," he said, "but you can recognize an opportunity to take advantage of when it presents itself."

"I don't believe…ok, you know what? Fine!" Cube snapped. "You saw right through my dastardly plans all along! Congratulations!"

"Well, you don't have to be rude about it," Arc grumbled.

"But –! Argh! Excuse me, your Highness, I have work to do!" Cube snapped before barreling past him.

"Hey, wait!" Arc called, though he refused to go after him. "When are you expecting Yucie back again?"

Cube just screamed.


End file.
